


Dimension Jump

by SWModdy



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Action/Adventure, Anxiety Attacks, Dimension Travel, Eventual Romance, Its mostly background since its not in the high focus, M/M, Minor Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan has it all as a war veteran, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Sassy, Sassy Obi-Wan, so much sass
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-29
Updated: 2017-07-13
Packaged: 2018-10-12 13:51:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 17,801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10492263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SWModdy/pseuds/SWModdy
Summary: Due to Dooku meddling with forgotten Force powers during the clone wars, Obi-Wan Kenobi gets dragged into a new dimension where he's dead but Qui-Gon is not. He can never return home and has to make a new life. He hopes he can do better in this one.





	1. A new beginning

It was a brittle smile he sent Anakin, he knew that even as he walked further into the old sith temple that reports had placed Dooku at several time the last month. “Commander Cody, please set up a perimeter and make sure everyone keeps radio contact, despite ancient, the dark side tends to…linger.”

“Yes General Jinn sir.” The commander quickly turned to the troops as Anakin slid to Qui-Gon’s side, looking around. “What do you suppose he’s doing here? I mean…I know its a sith temple and all but…the force doesn’t feel purely malicious…” He frowned.

“I know Anakin, but that’s why we have to be on guard. Whatever is here was important enough for Dooku himself to go instead of sending his apprentice. We have to be cautious at the very least, if only because of Dooku himself.”

“…Are you alright Master?” The young knight murmured quietly.

“…Not really. But I’ll survive, I just…I always knew I’d eventually have to see him. I just didn’t expect…” He sighed then smiled the same brittle smile as earlier. “Having Xanatos fall and then failing Obi-Wan as I did, I had hoped for support from Dooku, instead this is what happens.”

“You didn’t fail Obi-Wan master, Maul…” Anakin sobered up and touched Qui-Gon’s elbow carefully. “Maul killed him while you two were cut of from each other. Obi-Wan was a good with his lightsaber, a lot of the holos I saw when I was younger proved that but…with sprained ankle…”

“…Lets focus on the here and now Anakin. And let Obi-Wan’s ghost rest.” Qui-Gon clapped the other carefully on the shoulder, smiling a bit more at his former padawans assurance. ‘Obi-Wan would have been proud to call you a brother I think.’

()()()()

“You know, it would be simpler if you just give in and tell me what I want to know.” Dooku’s cultured voice rung through the otherwise empty halls, startling not only Qui-Gon but the clones behind him. Anakin just narrowed his eyes, having felt the man but there was something else, something lighter, almost golden in the Force, familiar yet not.

“I’m sure Darth Tyranus, and it would also be simpler to let me sit instead of having me floating around in a stasis field, but alas, neither of us are getting what we want today.” A male voice with a high Coruscanti accent piped up.

Qui-Gon almost dropped his lightsaber in shock, recognizing the albeit older voice. 'What in Starbirds name is going on?’ He stepped forward slowly.

“I told Sidious that this would not be in vain. I did not expect a Jedi to appear though.”

“No you expected a powerful sith didn’t you.” There was a low snort. “I’m all for experimentation grandmaster but really, ancient unknown sith magic that hasn’t been seen in millenniums? Really, you have to draw the line somewhere.”

“Grandmaster?” Anakin whispered in confusion and looked at Qui-Gon’s pale face.

“Obi-Wan?” He whispered and stepped around the corner to look into the large room Dooku and a troop of droids were in, storm eyes growing wide.

It was Obi-Wan, a much older Obi-Wan, arms crossed over his chest, an auburn beard and long hair with the faint traces of grey in them at the temples. The tunic and boots looked like they could have fared better but he was there, alive, breathing as he held up in a stasis trap that must have been set up by Dooku and his droids. But still uninjured even.

And sporting the most unimpressed expression Qui-Gon had ever had the pleasure of seeing towards Dooku ever.

“I mean, honestly, did you dig some old sith scroll out of some ruin and decide that the game changer in it would most certainly be a sith?” The copper haired male snorted in amusement.

“Would you be silent?”

“I would but you forgot to gag me.” Obi-Wan offered dryly. “Instead you have me hanging around like a ham. Good job. I’d applaud you but that would require being able to move my hands.”

Dooku ran a hand over his face. “You vex me. I was certain the scroll talked about darkness.”

“Touched BY darkness more likely. I survived the massacre of the Jedi order in my own dimension. If nothing else, I’m certainly touched by darkness though I have not fallen to it.” Obi-Wan grumbled. “I do like what you’ve done to your hair here though, how’d you get them to come out of your nostrils like that?” He smirked.

Dooku snarled at him and started to pace.

Obi-Wan continued smirking until he caught sight of Qui-Gon, his face falling into shock for a few seconds before quickly arranging his face back. “Tell me Dooku, what’s tall, blue and likes strays?” He chuckled at his own joke.

“Wha-” Dooku’s blade barely came up in time when Qui-Gon pounced, the older master falling into the makashi. Anakin joined in quickly while the clones took up position. “Qui-Gon! And young Skywalker, what a…pleasant surprise.” He snapped, anger and maliciousness coating his words.

“He means that sarcastically.” Obi-Wan called out from the stasis then he snorted. “I’d give you a nasty look Dooku but you already got one going I see.” He yelped as a clone knocked into a control panel and started twirling him around. “This is not a merry go around and I am not merry!”

For all their efforts, Dooku escaped into the temple and got away from Qui-Gon and Anakin, though the clones took out all the droids quite effectively.

“Commander Cody, get that stasis shut down.” Qui-Gon called out while moving towards Obi-Wan, catching the other man before he could fall fully when the stasis field shut down fully.

'Warm…he’s warm…and alive.’ He took a heavy breath, both from exertion and shock as he stared down at the copper head until it moved and stared back up at him, green eyes glittering in the low light.

“…Hi.” Qui-Gon murmured, carefully cupping the bearded cheek and smiling when Obi-Wan stayed right there, feeling the beard against his palm. An adult, grown, developed Obi-Wan who had the time to flurish and become a knight and even a master from the looks of it.

“Hi Qui-Gon.” Obi-Wan murmured back before flopping against him again, forehead against the others chest. “Excuse me, I’d love to talk but…I think I’m going to pass out now…I’m…very dehydrated.” He went limp.

Qui-Gon made a low noise in his throat then picked the other up. “Kix!”


	2. Looks like home

“…I’ll have to thank Kix, I imagine he was the one who taped the cover over the drip?” A soft voice croaked and Qui-Gon almost dropped his datapad from exhausted surprise, looking into drowsy green eyes.

“You’re awake.” He said needlessly before putting the pad aside and sitting up more in his chair. “Yes, Kix did. I…” Qui-Gon wasn’t sure what to say to this man.

This man who knew him. Who looked like an adult version of his padawan. Who was currently being treated for dehydration and sunburns, showing mental strains Qui-Gon had only seen in hard-weathered veterans until the Clone wars had begun.

“Its alright, this is a very strange situation.” Obi-Wan hummed then licked his lips. “…There wouldn’t be anything to drink would there? I know the drip is doing some of the work and I can smell bacta but some water would be nice.” He looked up at Qui-Gon with those pretty green eyes and Qui-Gon smiled at the familiarity of it. “Of course Obi-Wan, I’m afraid it will only be a little bit, Kix claims you will need time to adjust to it so not to make yourself sick.”

He got up and fetched cup with a straw in it that he put on the table beside the bed, carefully helping Obi-Wan sit up by levering the bed.

“Do you feel well enough to hold the cup?” He murmured, watching the redhead honestly think it over before shaking his head. “Alright, here.” The Jedi master held the straw to Obi-Wan’s lips, watching him carefully suck the water down until it was gone.

“Thank you.” The older man was gratified to hear Obi-Wan’s voice sounded stronger.

“Always Obi-Wan. I…can call you Obi-Wan can’t I?”

“As long as I can call you Qui-Gon.” The copper haired master chuckled, hands resting in his lap. “I imagine you’ve informed the council about me?”

“Yes, once Kix had you suited here I took contact with them. I was…unsure of how to proceed.” He hesitated.

“Hmm, I can imagine, its not often a dimension traveler drops in unannounced, especially not escorted by sith magic.” The younger one snorted. “Honestly, what was that man thinking. Ancient sith magic from bygone ages, he could have brought anythingto this galaxy, an ancient horror from the wild spaces, a black hole, a deathly sith bent on galaxy destruction or even an unstable Jedi…or a fruit stand for all he knew.”

“Dooku always enjoyed experiments.”

“Well so do I but I know about taking safety precautions. And my experiments only ever endangered me, unlike the strays you insisted on taking in. Honestly that nexus cub you brought to the temple…”

Qui-Gon felt as if his heart could burst. But he reigned it in with all the stoic Jedi calm he could, only giving Obi-Wan a bland smile. “Live in the moment Obi-Wan.”

Obi-Wan snorted then focused on him. “…I noticed your reaction to me, I would assume this means I’m not…among the living here anymore.”

The older man sighed then shook his head. “No. You…perhaps you went to Naboo?”

“…Ah, we traded places then. In my world, you died. I was knighted after killing the sith apprentice and Yoda severed my braid. In this dimension I died…and so the net sprawled on without me, fascinating.” Obi-Wan mused.

“Not exactly what I would have called the occasion.” Qui-Gon forced a lightness to his words only to get a brittle smile from the redhead. “No, not what I would really call it either when you died…I was very lost. A fresh knight with a ten year old padawan and no where to turn to when I didn’t know what to do.” He chuckled quietly.

“…I left you with Anakin then.” Qui-Gon sighed.

“Indeed. I imagine the council wants to meet me?”

“We are going to Coruscant, the ship moving in hyperspace as we speak. Yoda was…instant that we come straight to them.”

“I was always fond of the old troll…it would be nice to see him…its also nice to see you Qui-Gon, its been…many years since I saw you.”

“How many, how old are you Obi-Wan?” Qui-Gon had tried to determined that himself but it was not easy despite the start of grey in the others hair.

“Thirty nine. I aged well.” He teased the older man. “But then again, so did you. You don’t look much older then last time I saw you despite at least ten years having passed.”

“I come from a long lived race, you know that Obi-Wan.” He chuckled tiredly and leaned on the bed a bit, smiling softly at the memories their conversation provoked. Soft memories from a bygone age that his padawan and he had shared.

“…You’re not really my Obi-Wan.” He sighed.

“And you’re not my Qui-Gon.” Obi-Wan smiled. “But we are someones Obi-Wan and someones Qui-Gon, so we could try to be friends at least.”

“Friends…I like the sound of that.” Qui-Gon sat up and offered his hand to the other. “Qui-Gon Jinn, Master Jedi.”

“Obi-Wan Kenobi at your service, also a Jedi Master.” Obi-Wan grasped the hand, grinning softly as he held onto that large hand. “A pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasure is all mine.” The tall man chuckled, squeezing that hand in his own.

The Force seemed to hum in pleasure around them and for the first time in what felt like years, Obi-Wan felt honest to Force safe.

()()()

“You know. I haven’t been back here since every Jedi in my own galaxy were brutally murdered.” Obi-Wan said almost casually as the stood on the steps of the Jedi temple, staring up at it with his shields raised as high as he could.

Qui-Gon froze at the reference to Obi-Wan’s own dark galaxy and looked slowly at the almost to casual looking Jedi Master behind him.

“I found bodies all over the temple. All ages, initiates, padawans, knights, masters…even the corps members. Youngest to oldest, slaughtered in our own home.” Obi-Wan’s voice faded away and he looked down, a tremble going through his shoulders.

It wasn’t even a conscious thought as Qui-Gon stripped his robe of and wrapped it around the copper haired man, Anakin watching them from the top of the stairs. He rubbed at the others upper arms. “Deep breath Obi-Wan, release what you can into the Force…this must be difficult, I can’t even begin to understand how difficult it must feel. But I’m here and every other Jedi in the galaxy is here. Just…reach out.” Qui-Gon murmured.

The green eyed man looked up at him with a distant, almost lost expression on his face then did as told, reaching out to all those brilliant lights out there, eyes closing as he felt them, there …alive …brilliant points in the Force.

“…I haven’t felt another Jedi like this in so long…I’d forgotten what home felt like.” He whispered to Qui-Gon.

“If you need to lean on me, do it. You deserve even a small break.” The ramifications were hitting Qui-Gon full force. An Obi-Wan Kenobi from a different dimension where the Jedi order had been murdered in their own home, oldest to youngest. Force, what had happened to the very youngest of their order, the toddlers and babes?

He didn’t dare to entertain that thought to long as he slowly guided Obi-Wan after him up the stairs and into the temple, feeling the other clench his hand into Qui-Gon’s arm often as he did, his hands hidden by Qui-Gon’s larger robe with the sleeves covering them up. Obi-Wan even lifted the hood to hide, his expression pale as he took in people and places and through the mans impressive shields, Qui-Gon sometimes caught the pain the other was barely keeping in and releasing.

Anakin kept shooting the man looks too, his brows furrowed as he was obviously catching onto what the other Jedi was doing. Then again, Anakin was a supernova in the Force. It had taken Qui-Gon years to teach Anakin the same kind of finesse with the Force that he had managed to teach padawan Obi-Wan, Anakin’s own powers and his upbringing being an additional hurdle, not to mention Qui-Gon’s overpowering grief at the time.

Sometimes the only reason he got out of bed those first few years was Anakin and then the mindhealers he had finally sucked up and visited.

‘Should have done that way before I even meet Anakin.’ Qui-Gon thought ruefully before squeezing Obi-Wan’s hand and settling into a lift with the two. “How are you holding up?” He murmured quietly, his voice a soothing rumble.

“…I keep seeing corpses on the ground one moment and then remembering I’m not in my own dimension anymore. Does that answer you?”

“In a way. It does tell me you might need the mindhealers as much as I did.”

“You went to the mindhealers?” Obi-Wan looked up, his stoic face falling away to shock. “I tried so hard to convince you in my own dimension that you needed to go to one.”

“Yes, yes you did…and I went after your death. I was…very lackluster.” Qui-Gon sighed.

“What he means is he was very depressed and I think the only reason he sometimes got out of bed to eat breakfast was because I was there.” Anakin piped in 'helpfully.’

“…Yes that.” Qui-Gon grumbled then looked back to Obi-Wan when the other squeezed his arm.

“I’m glad you finally went. Master Yoda said you should have gone there way before I became your padawan even. I’m glad there is a version that exist that did.” He gave the other a careful smile, corner of his lips curling up.

Qui-Gon returned the smile.

Of course they couldn’t remain in the lift forever and made their way to the council chambers, Obi-Wan growing tenser for every moment as his breathing speed up and when the doors finally opened, Obi-Wan’s shields wobbled as an image leaked through the until now durasteel tight shields.

This chambers, yet not it, full of little bodies of all races on the floor, unseeing little eyes of initiates as Yoda knelt by one.

Qui-Gon cursed in Huttnese as he felt the other gasp for breath, ignoring the roll of confusion and horror flickering through Force, grabbing the other my the shoulders. “Obi-Wan breath.” He demanded as Anakin leaned against the doors of the chamber, face pale and eyes wide in horrified surprise.

“Can’t…can’t…” Obi-Wan wheezed and glanced up at Qui-Gon, a glazed look entering his eyes as his knees started to buckle, his shields going ever more chaotic, glimpses of war and pain and death escaping him as he started to broadcast.

“Then SLEEP.” Qui-Gon wove the Force compulsion into his words and caught Obi-Wan as the mans eyes rolled into the back of his head, not offering even a token protest as he collapsed against Qui-Gon’s larger bulk.

There was a stunned silence as Qui-Gon held him, everyone trying to absorb what had happened.

“Not the best place to meet our new guest this would appear to be.” Yoda stood slowly from his chair, hobbling over to them to peer up at Qui-Gon. “Much this Obi-Wan Kenobi has experience.” The green Jedi looked to the council room, eyes on the floor. “Much he has seen. Pain he has gone through. Perhaps to your quarters a safer place would be.” The Grandmaster looked up at Qui-Gon as Depa was talking softly to Anakin, carefully coaxing the young knight to stand upright despite not looking much better herself.

“I…Yes. I’m…starting to realize just how bad the war got for him.” Qui-Gon tightened his grasp around the other man. “…He’s going to need a lot of help.”

“Usually so, for war veterans.”


	3. Still looks like home

“…If I didn’t know better…I’d say I was resting on my lumpy couch in the temple.” Obi-Wan murmured, effectively silencing the room. “But I do know better.” He took a deep breath and opened his eyes, finding half the room filled with council members, Anakin and Qui-Gon. He gingerly sat up and rubbed his face.

“I apologize, I had no idea I would…I haven’t had a panic attack like that in almost a long while.” He pressed his lips together.

“That is fine…master Kenobi.” Mace settled on, fingers stapled together as he watched the other from the second couch, Yoda and Adi Gallia on each side of him. “We are more disturbed by the image you…”

“Broadcasted?” Obi-Wan suggested dryly before making a low, surprised noise as Anakin held out a cup of tea for him. The redhead gave him a long look before accepting it, noting how different this Anakin felt to the one he had raised.

‘I guess Qui-Gon must have handled being a father figure better then I did.’ He smiled up at the blond before taking a small sip. 'And a better master.’

“Please, call me Obi-Wan, if for nothing else then my own comfort.” He added, looking to the Haruun.

“Its strange to see you like this.” Adi jumped in. “We all were there at your…this galaxy’s I mean, pyre.”

“I can only imagine its as strange for you all to see me as it is for me to see all of you alive. And younger. I can only assume that you are at the very beginning of the clone wars?” He looked at them all.

“Indeed. Started four months ago it did. Longer it went on for you?”

“Three years of continued battles, of death and pain until the temple was laid to waste by the sith lord.” Obi-Wan sighed. Yoda’s ears rose in surprise and his gaze sharpened. “Know you do, the identity of the sith?”

“Know I do.” Obi-Wan mimicked before giving Yoda a long look as the council murmured among themselves. “And I’ll tell you if you can keep your lighstaber in your belt and not run of on some insane one man war, he’s powerful and killing him in cold blood will only bring the public down on the Jedi.”

“Talk to me as you are you should not, great grandpadawan as you are.” Yoda huffed though there was a glimmer wetness in his eyes, as if this was something he had wanted and missed.

“No but as a fellow councilor I can.” Obi-Wan shot back.

Qui-Gon promptly choked on his tea and spat it out at Eeth Koth, who leaned back with a yelp, shock pinging through the Force.

Obi-Wan just threw his head back, a laugh bubbling out through his lips as if it came from the very bottom of his soul. “Oh I always wanted to see your reaction to THAT!” He grinned, sipping his cup.

“…I get the feeling you may have been worse on the high council then actually having Qui-Gon on it.” Mace grumbled, his very Force aura emitting his amusement that he couldn’t quite put a lid on.

“Only a bit. Though I got on the council during the clone wars.” He looked down, frowning a bit. “I never really got to see how it functioned outside the war I will admit.” He sighed. “But back to the Sith…” He hesitated and looked up at Anakin then to Yoda before returning his eyes to the young knight. “How close are you to the Supreme Councellor, Palpatine knight Skywalker?” He asked cautiously.

“I-Palpatine? He sometimes invites me to his office for talks? I’m usually to busy though.” Anakin was obviously surprised at the question. “…Wait, do you mean that-no, I mean he’s not a null that’s for sure but a sith?”

“Hard to see the Dark side is.” Obi-Wan murmured softly, his voice ominous. “He’s had years to twist the Force on Coruscant. Years to hide. I don’t know everything but I knew the end for my galaxy. And there is another thing. The clones…in my galaxy they turned on us too. One moment everything was fine, the next…there was no warning. And until that moment, until…order 66 went out, they had never been a danger towards us.” Obi-Wan stared at everyone.

“…This…this is a lot to take in.” Ki-Adi-Mundi murmured. “If this holds true for our galaxy…”

“I don’t know. I can’t be sure. I do know that until that moment where I was shot down by my own troops, nothing had been wrong, they weren’t dangerous to Jedi’s or malicious by nature.” Obi-Wan sighed. “I think there must have been some sort of compulsion, something that changed within them.” He shrugged.

“…Your own troops shot you down?” Qui-Gon had latched onto that.

“Yes. I barely survived the fall but I managed to make my way to Coruscant and the temple to meet up with Yoda. And that was the last Jedi I saw. And the last time I saw the temple.” Obi-Wan stared at his cup. “…I won’t say I’m healthy. I will accept the councils decision if it tells me I need to go to the mindhealers, especially considering what happened up there in the council chamber.”

“Good for you this universe will be, war we are in but calmer it is here, run you ragged we will not.” Yoda murmured. “Mindhealer I insist you go to if for nothing else then my peace of mind.”

“And mine Obi-Wan.” Qui-Gon added.

“But as it is, you’ll need somewhere to stay from now on.” Even Piell offered.

“If I may be so bold, perhaps Obi-Wan would like to stay with me. I do still have Anakin’s former padawan rooms and perhaps it would be wise not to be alone just yet?” Qui-Gon looked at Obi-Wan and the redhead thought that over. “I…that would actually be good. Not being alone.” He mused before looking at Anakin.

“Hey, you’re welcome to them.” Anakin gave a carefree grin. “I got my own place once I was knighted., just down the hall actually.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Its clean as far as I know.” He nodded to the room Obi-Wan knew was the padawan rooms. “If you don’t mind the lack of space…”

“A nice bed, a place to call my own and safety is all I need. I know what its like to be alone in the galaxy.” Obi-Wan smiled at him. “Very alone. It will nice to not be alone anymore.”


	4. A moment before Coruscant

“If you have a question Cody, I’d like to hear it.” Qui-Gon said without looking up from the map, feeling the clones probing curiosity filling the air. Though Cody was not alone in his curiosity.

“I apologize sir. Its just…we understand that this man is…well from a different universe. But…he is dear to you, that is obvious also.” Cody murmured softly, the bridge falling rather quiet as he talked. “And we have of course examined the backgrounds of the Jedi we work with but…”

“But you’re curious how I can be sure of this Obi-Wan?” Qui-Gon chuckled quietly. “The truth is I can’t, not yet, not until I have more time with him. But…” He looked up slowly, a tired smile on his face. “He feels the same. The same bright spark my padawan was. He’s not the same, he’s a older man, much older then my padawan would have been. Yet still…”

“Would you tell us about your padawan General Jinn sir?” Waxer asked hopefully, wincing when Boil shoved his elbow in his side. “I mean perhaps it would help us understand this Jedi if we knew about his counterpart?”

Qui-Gon mused then smiled slowly. “Obi-Wan was a stubborn spark. First time I meet him I rejected him, I was damaged from the Fall of my former padawan and had no wish to take another but here was this…bright redheaded imp of an initiate. And the Jedi order sent him of to a farming corps.” He leaned on the holo table, staring at the map. “We were on the same transport as I had a mission to the same planet even. Still he remained this bright spark that fought for my attention, my recognition, a hope to still become a Jedi.”

He hesitated then sighed. “I was cruel. I should have taken him in long before that transport, perhaps things would have been different then but…he endured and he almost died for me several times.” Qui-Gon gave a little breathless laugh, rubbing his face. “Force, not yet thirteen yet willing to die for me, willing to…” He didn’t want to see the clones faces as he kept his eyes closed.

“Obi-Wan, my padawan, he was…everything a Jedi should have been at that age. A bit quick tempered but with age comes experience. He was…humble, always willing to learn, headstrong with strong loyalties and a dry sense of humor.” The Jedi master laughed quietly. “I did love that irreverent humor of his, some of the jokes he had behind the councils back…” He didn’t mention Obi-Wan’s emotional anguish and anxiety or his self doubt, he didn’t need the clones to know that part which he himself had only had a knowledge to due to their bond.

“What happened to him?”

Qui-Gon opened his eyes, his expression falling as his eyes seemed to look back, no longer in the space ship with them. “…We were sent of on a negotiation mission to Naboo.” He was disassociating, his mouth speaking before his mind could catch up.

“We found a sith, the first one in over thousand years. And our mission was clear as Jedi are to fight the Dark side.” The flash of a red saber flashed behind the retinas of his mind, a cry of pain. “Obi-Wan had been injured earlier when we were making our way into Theed city with the current Queen of Naboo though I was not aware of it, a sprained ankle.” A awkward gait, a quick application of the Force, he should have KNOWN.

“We engaged the sith, Maul, in a lightsaber duel to keep him away from the Queen as he was working with the Trade Federation and in our own arrogance we followed him through the halls. Maul knocked me of the catwalk and Obi-Wan continued following him.” Pain as he hit the catwalk below, hearing Obi-Wan grunting in exertion as he continued tracking, the vile taste of fear in his own mouth. “He separated us. Leading us into the power plant and used a long hallway with ray shields that snapped into place with intervals, Obi-Wan was far ahead of me, standing there, ready. He didn’t even look back at me. He knew what was going to happen.” There had been something in the very Force that told him that Obi-Wan was prepared for what was going to happen.

“And when the ray shields came down again I tried to catch up to my padawan only to be to late.” The cry of pain through the air, the lightstaff sliding through cloth and skin, the smell of burned flesh. The dull thump of Obi-Wan hitting the ground.

Something wet hit Qui-Gon’s hand and he shook himself, glancing down at the drop of salty water on the back of his hand before he slowly reached up and dried his face. “Obi-Wan lost the fight and I finished it.” He cleared his voice as best he could, running his hand over his beard. “We regained control of Naboo. Two days later I lit Obi-Wan’s pyre.” Qui-Gon didn’t look up. “…I believe I’ll be turning in for a few hours Cody…today has been…yes.” He stood slowly, a dull thumping starting behind his eyes. “Comm me if I’m needed.” He turned without waiting for a response, making his way through the Mavrick.


	5. He knows us

The first time it happens, no one really notices except Rex.

The new General places a cup of coffee by his hand, perfectly blended with a splash of milk and a small stirring of honey in it. Just how Rex prefers his coffee without telling anyone but Cody who had fetched his coffee more then once.

But this General, Kenobi, delivers a cup at his side without even asking and its perfect. Piping hot and steaming, with blue milk and honey.

Rex archives it in the back of his mind even as he slowly drinks his cup and continues with his report.

The second part is more noticeable because he gives Waxer a datapad full of aurebesh on how to pronounce Twi’lek before a battle and by the end of it Waxer has a small Twi'lek child clinging to him. He and Boil are busily examining it when they return to the ship, reading through, trying to teach themselves.

Waxer even thanks the General the next time he sees him, the energetic man smiling gratefully at him though he jumps a bit in surprise when the copper haired man only smiles and offers him a small jar of green paint in the same shade as the child they left behind on the planet.

Cody sometimes catches General Kenobi in the armory, taking a tally of the weapons and supplies, muttering to himself before doing some short switches, ordering more and nodding in satisfaction. When he does, they come back with more survivors then casualties.

The clones agree with each other after the General casually thanks a rookie clone, not with a number, but a name that sounds natural as it falls from his lips, that this man knows them to well and seems to be doing everything he can to save them and help them survive just another day.

Perhaps that’s why they consent so readily to the medical examination the General asks them softly if they would submit to at the Jedi temple itself. Perhaps that’s why they agree that, however strange it is that he knows them so well, he is worth protecting.

They were made for the Jedi. But the Jedi are now theirs.

They will be the Jedi’s first and last line of defense, come what may.

And perhaps that’s why every clone steps forward when information of the bio-chips in their brains are found, to have them removed. Because they know, there’s more to this then just a way to control their tempers.

And they feel it in their bones afterward even without the Force.

Something has changed for the better.


	6. An akward conversation

“Hel-oh, Anakin?” Obi-Wan peered up at the young knight, his very Force presence pulling back and hiding away from the other on instinct before Obi-Wan could reign it in.

The young knight noticed though and gave him a tense smile, holding up a can. “Tea, Master told me you liked this brand…or well that you used to. I’m afraid tea isn’t really my thing so I went with his suggestion. May I come in?”

“Of course.” Obi-Wan stepped back, letting the young man into the quarters. “Where is Qui-Gon? He was gone when I woke up…” He had woke up alone in his bed and felt a chill over his skin.

“Oh, he had a council meeting he had to show up at. He told me to make sure you ate breakfast and to inform you where he went. He wasn’t sure when he would come back. And to bring you to the quartermaster.” Anakin was almost bubbly, beaming at Obi-Wan.

Force did the man ever feel different then the one Obi-Wan had raised.

If it wasn’t for the almost identical looks, he could believe that this was a different man. “I…have to admit you’re much different here then in my universe.” Obi-Wan settled on as he made his way to the kitchen to get the teapot boiling and to eat like told.

“Yeah…I get that feeling.” Anakin leaned against the counter, hesitating as he slid the tea box towards the copper haired man, trying to find the best way to ask.

He couldn’t imagine a tactful way though and decided to do what he usually did, be blunt. “You’re scared of me. What did I do in your universe?” He settled on, unsure if he even wanted to know.

Obi-Wan tensed, unsure how to proceed. “I’m not sure I should tell you. You aren’t the same person.”

“Yeah but I could become that person. Whatever it is I did there…” Anakin hesitated once again. “The Force tells me its important that I talk to you, it keeps prodding me. I think…well perhaps not in details but I need to know something.”

Obi-Wan took cups out of the cupboard.

“You know I raised you in my universe?” He finally offered.

“Course. Makes sense if Qui-Gon died.” The knight shrugged, his heart pinging in pain at the thought of his master dead.

“Yes well…at twenty five, I wasn’t ready to raise a padawan.” Obi-Wan gave Anakin a half smile, adding tea leaves to the cups. “But that was my Qui-Gon’s last wish. So I, the ever dutiful padawan, took you under my wing. I…couldn’t be what you needed to though, I had no idea what I was doing, I had no one to turn to for advice and I was…struggling.”

“Like my Qui-Gon was struggling I imagine.” Anakin gave him a sympathetic look, having been there for those first few years of depression as Qui-Gon carefully guided Anakin.

“Mhmm, so I…ended up being a brother figure instead of the parental figure you needed. And you ended up getting another person as that.”

“Anot-oh no…you don’t mean.”

“Sidious planned it well, he had you under his wing and guided you. I still don’t know how he managed it to be honest, some part of me hopes you, my version of you, got his mind bent by the Dark side.” Obi-Wan poured the water into the cups.

“What did he do?” Anakin whispered, staring at Obi-Wan as the copper haired man pushed one cup into his hands.

“…With the 501st, he marched on the temple, killing every Jedi they found.” Obi-Wan stared into his own cup, his appetite vanished.

“Oh sweet Force.” The knight quickly set his cup aside, blue eyes wide, bile climbing the back of his throat.

“…My suggestion is to never be alone in the same room as Palpatine, ever again. You don’t feel the same as my Anakin, you’re not the same man for all you wear his face, you weren’t raised by me…” Obi-Wan slowly lifted his head to stare at him. “So I’m going to take a leap of faith here, and trust the Force. So please…we need you to be exactly as you are…” He smiled weakly, numb hands holding onto the warm cup.


	7. The clone guard

The trooper practically materialized beside him the moment they stepped of the gunship, almost giving Obi-Wan a minor heart attack as he had not noticed the man approach. “Trapper? Wha-is everything alright?”

“Yes sir. Commander Cody requested me to accompany you should something happen as you are not wearing your comlink sir.” The trooper cocked his head, pleasure leaking of him at the recognition of his name.

“I’m not?” Obi-Wan blinked, reaching for his belt to find that no, his com was indeed gone.

“How…” He looked to where the gunship was taking of and frowned heavily. “Did it fall of my belt in the ship, I know I equipped it before we left the Maverick…”

“Can’t tell sir, but as Commander Cody said, it would make us feel better to have someone accompany you since your com link is gone.” Trapper shifted a bit and Obi-Wan slowly looked at him, raising an eyebrow.

“…Trapper…does this have anything to do with why Gearshift insisted on going over my armor last week? And why Waxer and Boil keep asking me for language lessons? And why for some reason Longshot had my boots the week before that again?” The copper haired man crossed his arms over his chest.

To be honest, he was more amused then agitated at this point.

“…No?”

“Trapper, is there a clone conspiracy to keep at least one of you around me at all time?”

“Errg…”

“Commander Cody and Captain Rex set this up, didn’t they. And when I join the 501st, which is next week, I will be followed around by some of them?”

“…I will tell no lie sir.” Trapper went for silence after that.

Obi-Wan couldn’t help it.

He started laughing.


	8. Overload

What could he say.

Obi-Wan adored the clones.

Had done so from the moment he found them and fought with them. Had shed blood with them and almost died with them on so many different planets. They had become dear to his heart and perhaps he had become somewhat attached to them, especially now that he had a chance again to make a life with friends he had thought would be far gone.

Especially after they had all stepped forward as one, having the discovered bio-chips removed from their brains in the Jedi temple by the Jedi healers.

Perhaps that explained his actions when they came under danger. His own emotions when a squad of fresh shiny’s came under fire.

Power tingled in the back of his head, he could feel the directed fire towards the shiny’s of the troop, completely new from Kamino. Something inside of Obi-Wan snapped, he knew these men, men who had died in his universe, men who were going to die again.

“No.” He whispered, that something urging him, prodding him, making him move from Boil’s side in one leap of Force enhanced speed.

Obi-Wan let the Force carry him until he’s in front of the shiny’s, a dismayed cry ringing through his head as Qui-Gon finally noticed where the redhead was. But the man didn’t pay attention to that as he lifted his hands and brought the Force to bear, sinking himself into it not unlike submerging himself into a pool with his eyes closed.

For a moment he can feel everything, the clones around him, the local population, the Jedi’s on the battlefield, the animals and the flora. He can feel death and life. He can feel pain, fear, elation, resignation and horror.

And then he becomes the center of the maelstrom, the very eye of the storm as he distances himself, the back of his heels digging into the muddy ground under him as he was pushed back, the smell of blistering skin and the taste of iron in his mouth. His heart thundering away in his chest.

THERE.

Something whispers in his mind.

HOLD.

It buildt under his skin, like a coil pulled to tight.

PUSH.

It yells and Obi-Wan’s eyes snaps open to the volley of blaster shots hovering in the air in front of him, he slides a foot forward through the muddy muck and pushes, as if he has a boulder at his hands, his shoulders jerking forward.

The volley of shots moves as one, returning with more force then it left the blasters they orignated from, ripping through metal and circuits, leaving behind only destruction. Obi-Wan hands shake as he stares at the destruction he caused, something wet and warm dripping past his nose and down his lips.

‘The shiny’s…I…oh Force…’ He sways on his feet and feels someone grab him, drag his arm up and over a hard shoulder but Obi-Wan can barely focus, blinking his watering eyes as he looks at the white armor of the one who has him.

Its a shiny.

Alive and breathing and terrified fear echoing through the Force from him as he pulls Obi-Wan along back. Obi-Wan wants to ask if everyone is alright but his legs can barely support him, there’s no way his brain can function to actually form words even with shadows encroaching in his vision.

And then Qui-Gon is there, talking sharply even as he reaches for Obi-Wan, taking him from the clone and lifting him up in a princess lift and vaguely Obi-Wan realizes he’s going to have the mother of all headache. Obi-Wan lets his head drop against the mans shoulder, passing out with a small groan.

By the time he wakes, his body aches with every pulse of his heart and his brain feels like it has explode. He recognizes he’s laying on his side in a soft bed, wearing soft clean clothes with his hands resting close to his face.

There’s a distinct smell of bacta and a careful pressure against his hands that tells him they are bandaged.

Opening his eyes is a slow process and it hurts, the light much to bright. But he bares it as he blinks into the medbay of Qui-Gon’s star destroyer. Or perhaps its Anakin’s?

He can’t quite tell, there’s no obvious sign and Obi-Wan’s sense of the Force is muted at best. This has to be the worst case of physic burnout he has ever had but the other medbeds are empty, that is a good sign.

Or perhaps a bad sign?

There’s a second of panic, the heart monitor picking up on his beat rising and raising a small alarm.

Suddenly both Kix and Helix are there, both medics looking relieved and worried as they get to his side. “General Kenobi, can you respond?” Kix voice can’t be louder then a whisper but it makes Obi-Wan wince and close his eyes, though Helix mercifully dims the light.

“Mmmn…” He gets a dry croak out and then gives up, just laying there helplessly while staring at the two through lidded eyes.

“Alright, that’s better then General Yoda was expecting.” Helix breathed out and Obi-Wan blinked in confusion.

“We had to com the high generals, for advice. General Jinn wasn’t sure how to…he was very worried.” Kix added, carefully taking Obi-Wan’s bandaged hands, pulling them of the bed to unwrap them. Even the small and gentle movement makes the copper haired man hiss in pain.

“Sorry sir, we were going to do this regardless if you were awake. You burned the flesh to the bone doing…well what you did, we’ve been applying bacta every few hours.” Kix apologized even as he set to work.

Helix meanwhile was checking on the IV drip. “You’ve been out for close to two days sir. General Jinn will be relieved to know you’re awake. I’ll get you some water sir.” He moved to a cooler a bit away and Obi-Wan had the feeling that Qui-Gon would be showing up soon.

He focused on Kix, wondering why the medic was on Qui-Gon’s ship and not Anakin’s. That could wait though, he had to know…

“Shi…”

“Sir?” Kix paused, looking at him and Obi-Wan closed his eyes in frustration.

“Shi…shiny?” He croaked out.

Kix blinked then a slow, steady smile crossed his face. “Are all alright sir, thanks to you, but sir…for the future…please never do that again.”

Obi-Wan just closed his eyes, smiling a bit too as his hands were carefully settled back down, fresh bacta applied and bandages.

The next time he wakes its to a different bed, his bed back in the temple in the same position though he can no longer feel the pressure of bandages on his hands. There’s a soft, long pillow behind his back, supporting him that’s steadily pulsing with warmth against his still aching body and when he opens his eyes its to look right into the amber eyes of Commander Cody.

“…Don’t EVER do that again…sir.” The commander reaches out and takes the Jedi’s hand carefully. “Or I’ll sit on you myself to ensure you never go into battle again.” There’s a little squeeze and then Cody reaches for a glass with a straw in it, putting the straw to Obi-Wan’s lips.

Obi-Wan just sucks gratefully, feeling water fill his mouth and go down his throat until the glass was empty.

“Not…sorry.” He whispered out, gratified to find his voice stronger then in the Maverick’s medbay.

“I know you aren’t, stubborn Jedi, sir.” Cody set the glass aside. “General Jinn and General Skywalker are with the high generals, giving their reports. They didn’t want to leave you alone and I volunteered to stay with you.”

From the mans tone of voice, Cody might have had to pull rank to be the one to stay with Obi-Wan.

“Tha-nk…you.” He sighed softly.


	9. Conversation with the Senator

She was staring but that wasn’t unusual, anyone from the past couldn’t quite stop looking at him with a mix of awe and sadness.

She has known him, this universe Obi-Wan, if only briefly and he quietly let her take in his features as he stirred a small dash of sugar into the caf she had given him. “It was very kind of Anakin to invite me along.” He finally offered, taking a small sip and giving Padme a small smile when she flushed.

He was pretty sure that Anakin had told her about him and she in turn had demanded to meet him to see the truth herself. “Yes, knight Skywalker was very gracious to bring you along, its a pity he was called away on account of the war. And Master Jinn was quite happy to know you were spending some time away from the temple.”

Ah, perhaps there was more to reason then just Padme wanting to meet him.

Qui-Gon and the mind healers were finding it rather important that he spent some time among non-Jedi’s since his physic burnout, since the sensation of a trained Force user could be a battering against his at the moment unstable shields.

His own fault he guessed.

“…You were married in my universe.” He settled on, watching her. “You don’t have to keep it formal on my account.”

Any other would have lost their composure but Padme only blinked large brown eyes at him slowly before nodding slowly. “You…to be honest we talked about it, marriage, after Geonosis but we…well. Anakin was barely twenty. I believe his master talked him out of it at the time and with how everything went down, I can’t help but be grateful.”

“And now?” Obi-Wan tilted his head.

“We are considering it. But we are together, you’re right about that.” She smiled a bit. “And you don’t seem to care.”

Obi-Wan ran his fingertip along the rim of the cup, staring into the liquid. “I came to realize, after everything that happened in my universe, that stagnation became my orders doom. Love doesn’t have to mean attachment, doesn’t have to be bad as long as one can remember that one is Jedi first and anything else second when it comes to duty.” He looked back to her. “Like one is a Senator first and a wife second perhaps?”

She flushed then smiled. “You…know me rather well.”

“We were friends in my universe. I considered you rather dear to me even without Anakin marrying you.” Obi-Wan chuckled warmly.

“Friends…it sounds so…” Padme smiled. “You…he…the Obi-Wan I meet before…he was such a dashing figure in my life, coming in when my planet was under attack, rescuing me, trying to help my people. When he died…” Her smile faded. “I don’t think I’ve seen devastation like that in a Jedi’s eyes before as when Master Jinn carried his body up from the power plant. I see it more now. Geonosis took to many Jedi’s.”

Obi-Wan closed his eyes. “There is no death, there is the Force.” He breathed out and set his cup down. “Its a slim comfort. But hopefully we can keep casualties to a minimum with people like you in the Senate, you and Bail.” He smiled.

Padme had a shallow flush in her cheeks, smiling in careful pleasure. “I hope that we can be friends too.”

“I’m sure we can.” The two smiled at each other.

“…You are aware that there are two clone troopers watching the apartment right?”

“Mmmhmm, Trapper and Helix I believe. I apparently picked up a clone protection squad even when on Coruscant.”

“…Oh no, that is adorable. They adore you.”


	10. Protection squad

He tried to calmly sip from the tea he had been given, a quick Force check on it confirming it was safe to drink even as he tried to pretend he wasn’t tenser then a mice in a tooka’s gaze.

“I admit, when the rumors started to swirl the Senate, I wasn’t sure what to make of it.” Palpatine stapled his hands together, smiling almost grandfatherly over his hands at Obi-Wan. “I had, after all, been there at Jedi Kenobi’s pyre on that dreadful day.”

Obi-Wan forced a smile onto his own lips. “Yes, I can understand how this comes of as rather strange. It was even stranger for myself to suddenly appear in a monastery on a jungle planet, the climate had been very different compared to where I was before that.”

“Indeed?” Palpatine asked in mild curiosity.

“Yes, I had been on Tatooine.” Obi-Wan could only hope that Luke and Leia were safe in his own universe, his heart pinging painfully at the thought of the young ones. Yoda would have to do what he had not been able to.

“Ah, sand and sun, yes? Also where young Skywalker is from?” There was something flashing in those eyes and Obi-Wan gave a low hum of agreement, taking a new sip of the tea before putting the cup down so not to show his trembling hands.

“Indeed, very warm. I was rather dehydrated by the time Count Dooku pulled me through.” He hummed.

“Ah yes, Dooku was involved in this. He…I’m afraid I don’t really understand what he did.”

‘Like hell you do.’ Obi-Wan hid the words behind a smile. “I’m afraid I don’t properly understand it either, siths are very different from jedi and what he did was very ancient sith magic, I don’t think even he understands what he did.”

“Still, I’d be very interested in knowing your theory on it.”

The Jedi hummed quietly. He wanted to leave, he wanted to be back in the temple, have a cup of tea with whichever of his little clone squad of protectors were there and just…calm down.

“My best guess, based on the sensations I felt, were to be ripped from one place to another with the Force screaming out in a manner. Cold and dark.” He shrugged then smiled at the other as best he could. “My best guess is that he reached out for something dark and wasn’t specific enough to get what he wanted, instead he grasped a Jedi who had been touched by the darker side of the Force and pulled me through.”

Palpatine hummed and an oppressive sensation tingled against Obi-Wan’s skin and he could feel a slight headache building as the other man suppressed his own Force ability so not to appear threatening. He wondered how much punishment Dooku would face the next time he meet up with Sidious.

He was clearly about to ask about something else when the door behind them opened, Mas Amadda standing there. “Apologies Chancellor but the delegates from Malastrian are here.”

“Ah, I won’t hold you much longer then.” Obi-Wan stood and bowed gracefully to the man. “Thank you for the tea your excellency.” He slipped out of the door past Amadda and headed for the doors, his heart beat slowly picking up as he moved through the halls and towards the lift.

He slipped his hands into his hands into his robes and held onto each wrist tightly while nodding to an old Gand who joined him in the lift.

He started to count his own breaths. One, two, three, four, five…in through the nose and out through the mouth.

The focus was helping him and the building headache behind his eyes.

He kept his walk calm though, no need to alarm the senators in the halls if he started running. Though he half-way noticed that many were looking at him, some vaguely familiar looking to him, perhaps past missions in his own galaxy?

As he stepped out of the Senate dome, two shapes appeared on each side of Obi-Wan, almost scaring the living soul out of him. “Waxer! Boil!” He breathed out, taking in the orange and white. “I…is something wrong?”

“No sir, we were just waiting on you sir. General Jinn is back and he was looking for you sir. We were told you were requested at the Senate by the Supreme Chancellor and went to find you for him.” Waxer tilted his head, watching the Jedi with a small frown. “Are you alright sir?”

Boil gave a low noise. “What Waxer means is that we have a airspeeder ready to take you to the Jedi temple. Curtsey of Senator Amidala.”

“And it would bring us straight to the temple?” Obi-Wan squeezed on his own elbows tightly.

“Yes sir.” Waxer hesitated then rested a hand on Obi-Wan’s shoulder, carefully starting to push him along while making it seem like he was guiding him. “This way sir.” The energetic man offered cheerfully, though Obi-Wan felt worry lingering under the surface.

'I must be looking bad if he’s worried…or perhaps he’s just worried about the physic burnout.’

It was only once they were on their way in the airspeeder that Obi-Wan let his face fall into his hands, taking a deep breath. “Were you two following me?” He mumbled into his hands. “Because if you were, I’m impressed, I didn’t notice anyone this time.”

“We have no idea what you’re talking about sir.” Boil offered. “But hypothetically speaking, we may have come the same way as you a bit further behind you.”

“Are you alright sir. Forgive me but you look kind of pale and Helix and Kix told us that your burnout apparently is a sever thing and you shouldn’t really be to far from the Temple as the dome?” Waxer offered.

“I’m…tired Waxer. Don’t worry, a good nights rest and some calm will do me wonder. I promise.” He felt more then he saw the concerned look exchanged over his head. Well, if he wasn’t tricking them, he wouldn’t be tricking Qui-Gon, damn.


	11. Can't refuse say no

The moment the doors of the council chamber were closed behind them Qui-Gon could no longer contain himself, grabbing Obi-Wan by the shoulders and giving him a slight shake, hands gripping tightly onto him. “What were you thinking, going in front of Palpatine alone?” He hissed, eyes wide.

Oh good, someone had told Qui-Gon exactly where Obi-Wan had been.

“I couldn’t exactly refuse an invite from the Supreme Chancellor you know.”

“Sith spit, you know who he is better then we do and you went in front of him alone.” Qui-Gon growled.

“Still, I couldn’t directly refuse him, its not a valid reason to go ‘I can’t have tea with you, after all, you are a sith lord.’, he would have killed me in moments.” Obi-Wan snorted then winced when Qui-Gon’s nails dug through his tunics.

A throat cleared and Qui-Gon pulled back, jaw clenched and the conversation obviously not over as they turned to the council.

“He requested you?” Depa leaned forward, worry on her face.

“Yes, under the pretense of having attended this galaxy’s Obi-Wan pyre.” Beside him Qui-Gon spasmed. “Apparently there are quite a few rumors about me swirling the Senate, or so was his explanation. Simple curiosity at a 'hero’ returned.”

“But you think differently.” Mace murmured, frowning.

“Considering what we know, yes. I’m a version of Obi-Wan Kenobi that lived past Naboo, that alone would make him sit up and take notice, to try and determined what kind of threat I could potentially be. He also wants to know how Dooku messed up and based on what I could read in his eyes, he would want to know how to best punish him. I don’t think the Count is in for a pleasant reunion with his master.”

“A threat he thinks you?” Yoda’s ears twitched.

“He may? So far I don’t think he really understands what I am. Who I am. He only has rumors to go on and whatever he knew of this galaxy’s Obi-Wan. If he knew what I have done, my knowledge or what skills I have for sure, he would more then likely consider me dangerous. So far he seems to consider the action that lead to my burnout a fluke, a chance of luck.”

Qui-Gon growled quietly beside him. “I still can’t believe you went to him alone. With a psyche burnout.”

Obi-Wan sighed quietly. “Qui-Gon…I’m not the one who went in front of a sith and died.” He offered quietly.

“…But you are what’s here now. We can talk about this more later.” Qui-Gon settled for under the watchful eyes of the council, emotions boiling under well built shields.

Obi-Wan nodded in acceptance.

“In front of the Supreme Chancellor alone you should not go again. Dangerous it would be, know much you do, many things which holds true for our galaxy as well as your own.” Yoda frowned. “If requested you are, someone you will bring with you.” His tone left no place for arguments though Obi-Wan didn’t want to.

All he wanted to do was to go to the quarters he shared with Qui-Gon and relax.

“Well you are Obi-Wan?”

“I have a headache from being in the mans company but else I’m alright.” Obi-Wan half smiled.

“If we are dismissed, I’ll take Obi-Wan back to our quarters?” Qui-Gon stepped closer to the copper haired man.

“Do so, Obi-Wan, on the next dispatch, you will be leaving the temple with Qui-Gon again. That will keep you out of the Chancellor’s grasp at least for a while. Though you are not to repeat what you did on the last battlefield.” There was a wry tone to Mace’s voice. “I don’t think the temple can handle anymore fans trying to get past the temple guards to catch a glimpse of you.”

Kit and Depa hid small smile.

Shaak outright sniggered.

Obi-Wan just smiled and shrugged. “To be honest, I still don’t know what I did. I’ve stopped blasters before but not like that, not as many as that. It felt like the Force was pushing me.” There were some scattered mutterings at that before they were dismissed, both Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan bowing before they headed out the doors and to the lift.

The younger man could feel the other boiling beside him.

But he was tired and rested his head against the others upper arm and shoulder, sighing quietly.

It seemed to deflate Qui-Gon. “He could have hurt you…”

“Qui-Gon. He wouldn’t have killed me in the office, not with dignitaries right outside waiting to talk to him who had seen me walk in.” Obi-Wan murmured. “And you need to remember that I’m not that Obi-Wan who died…you died in my galaxy and I fought Maul and I lived. I went on to kill siths after that and dark acolytes.” He offered quietly.

Qui-Gon wrapped his arm around the others shoulders, holding him close. “Can you blame me for worrying though? Wouldn’t you have worried?”

“I still halfway think this is a dream of some kind. A wonderful, painful kind of dream where you lived and I’m not alone anymore.” Obi-Wan laughed thickly before sighing, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “And any moment I’m going to wake up alone on Tatooine, feeling every empty space inside of me that belonged to others that I had pairbonds with.”

Qui-Gon’s arm tightened around him at that. “…How are you even sane Obi-Wan? Every Jedi in your life…”

“Honestly? I don’t know Qui-Gon. I don’t know.”


	12. Two Jawas

It was comfortable.

He was in the middle of an army camp, among soldiers, the weather was kind of damp because of the planet natural climate and he was pretty sure there was a hole in his left boot that let in water.

But he was still comfortable, sitting against a crate with a bundled up blanket behind his back in front of a fire. Obi-Wan gave a content sigh, hands resting on his own stomach with his eyes closed, pretending not to notice the way several of the clones kept checking in on him, recognizing them as the shiny’s he had rescued on the last battle front he had been at.

“General sir?” Obi-Wan opened his eyes and smiled. “Glas, what can I do for you?” He didn’t bother to sit up quite yet.

“I was wondering if you wanted a cup of tea or perhaps something to eat. Or another blanket?” The clone smiled at him warmly.

“A cup of tea would be nice, I’m quite comfortable else ward though even in the wetness.” Obi-Wan chuckled quietly, his hair layering flatly against his forehead and cheeks.

“Tea, yes sir, I can get you that.” Glas almost skipped of to get a pot going, beaming.

“He’s going to lord it over the others that he got something to do for you.” A amused voice said above Obi-Wan’s head and he tilted his head enough to peer upwards, smiling at amused blue eyes. “Tea is good, I don’t mind if its black.” He chuckled quietly at the older man leaning on the crate to peer down at Obi-Wan.

Qui-Gon chuckled along and looked around, his smile fading a bit. “Do you know what this place reminds me of?”

“Mmmn?”

“Bandomeer, the caves over there at least. They look like abandon mining caves.” Qui-Gon sighed.

Obi-Wan glanced over and gave a low hum. “You’re right. At least there’s no Xanatos to trap me in a collar here. Or a agricore to send me to.” He grinned up then blinked at the sad look on Qui-Gon’s face. “Hey…”

“I shouldn’t have let it go that far. You were alone on a ship, twelve and facing…” He sighed then blinked when Obi-Wan reached up to tug on his sleeve, pulling the older man down beside him.

“The things that happened, they did, it was in on shaping who I became and how I handled it and yes, you could have handled some of those things much better.” The copper haired master offered seriously.

Qui-Gon winced.

“Being so close to kicked out of the order, abandoned in a civil war on Melida/Daan, Cerasi’s death, master Tahl’s death…” Obi-Wan sighed and ran his fingers through his head. “Telos and the way Xanatos jumped into the acid…the probation I faced still stings somewhere low in my consciousness but I understand. I don’t have to like it but it pushed me to…”

“Try and be perfect?” Qui-Gon slid an arm over Obi-Wan’s shoulders.

“I’d rather have the nickname perfect padawan then not be a padawan at all.”

“The council and I really scarred you for life with all that huh.” The older master murmured.

“My council did yes, and my master. But I’m still not the man who was your padawan.” Obi-Wan smiled kindly at the other. “I witnessed my own master death at the hands of Maul and I lived past it to grow. I raised my own padawan and tried my best. I just hope…”

“Yes?” Qui-Gon tightened his arm around the younger man.

“I just hope that I would have made him proud.” The redhead chuckled quietly.

“Well for what its worth…” Qui-Gon reached out with his free hand and carefully brushed some of the copper hair behind Obi-Wan’s ear, touch lingering ever so gently. “I’m plenty proud of you.” He smiled.

Obi-Wan flushed and glanced away, a small pleased smile slowly spreading across his lips.

He struggled to chance the subject, Force he felt awkward and embarrassed now, bit in a good way oddly enough. “Still, I almost died several those first few days on Bandomeer.” He forced a chuckle.

“Don’t remind me. What kind of Jedi was I.” Qui-Gon wrinkled his nose. “Though then again, you were a master of finding trouble. Still are.”

“Master Yoda rightly confirmed that I got it from my own master.” The dimension traveler offered primly, laughing with Qui-Gon when the other dissolved into an amused laugh. “Guilty as charged Obi-Wan, guilty as charged.”

The two only sat up once Glas returned with the tea pot and two cups, the shiny giving them a wide smile before scampering of. “…You are aware they are going to look up each of those instance now.” Qui-Gon murmured quietly, all to aware of each and all of his troops listening in, not to mention Anakin who couldn’t stop smiling at them.

“Mmmn, they’re already protective of me one more or less incident isn’t going to change it.” Obi-Wan filled the cups.

“To be honest, that makes me relax a bit more. Considering everything.” Qui-Gon said meaningfully as he accepted the tea.

‘He’s never going to let me forget I went in front of Palpatine alone is he.’ Ob-Wan thought dryly then smirked. “Hey Qui-Gon…”

“Mmn?”

“Two Jawas walk under a bar.”

The older master promptly choked on his tea and sputtered out in a laugh. “Bad joke and bad form!”


	13. How to make two asscracks

“Are you sure Obi-Wan?” Qui-Gon frowned at the other and Obi-Wan sighed in response, shaking his head.

“For the last time, YES. I’m fully healed, the phsyic trauma is as good as gone and I am not intending in engaging in a Force driven battle on a high front.” He turned his eyes on Anakin who were grinning at them. “Tell him Anakin!”

“Oh keep me out of this, this is hilarious.” The blond held up his hands.

“Oh traitor…” Obi-Wan huffed then sighed and released his tension, looking to Qui-Gon. “Please Qui-Gon, trust me. I know what I’m doing, I survived a war for three years, I was one of the few survivors of a Purge. Trust me to know what I’m doing.”

“Be careful…” Qui-Gon finally settled on, his fingers twitching as if he wanted to reach out and touch the other. “Take with you a small squad.”

Obi-Wan sighed but nodded and soon had Helix, Rex and two other troopers with him. Ram and Akk, two of the shinies Obi-Wan had saved, both giving the rest of the team jaunty waves before following the third Jedi out into the jungle to flank and infiltrate the droids to sabotage.

Of course, nothing goes as it should around Obi-Wan.

“Ah Count Dooku, I thought I smelled something rotten.” The Jedi got in front of his troops, keeping himself between the Sith and them, trusting them to take care of the droid squad. He had lost to many, he had lost so much and in such a short time he had gained so much.

He’d protect what he’d gained.

“Kenobi. I was hoping to encounter you again.” Dooku activated his blade, eyes glowing in the red of the light. “My master was most displeased with your appearance.” There was a jerk of a muscle.

“I can imagine, tell me, how deep did the lightning go?” Obi-Wan taunted before giving an enhanced leap, his blade lighting up in blue in front of him as he fell into his natural stance.

Blue and red meet furiously with the vibrating hum of lightsabers working away.

()()()

“Do you hear that?” Anakin lifted his head towards the noise, frowning. “That sounds like a saber fight.”

Qui-Gon’s heart plummeted to his stomach. There was only one other known Jedi on the planet.

“Obi-Wan.” He whispered, itching to find the copper haired man but unable to leave the field and his men.

They needed bother as the fight came closer, both Count Dooku and Obi-Wan bursting from the jungle, mud and debris spraying up around their boots. Though he knew the other had changed style, it wasn’t until he was confronted with the visual proof that Qui-Gon could see how Soresu fit Obi-Wan more then Ataru though he had been no slacker in it either.

He meet each of Dooku’s precise blade work with his own defensive stands, visibly looking for weaknesses in the others work, looking for exhaustion and mistakes, feinting and then dodging the Count each time he set to motion to eviscerate the younger man.

“Come now Count, I know you can do better then this, but perhaps your old age has come to claim some victories.” Obi-Wan dodged a close cut with a low pitched laugh that carried across the field even to them. “Or perhaps your master took a tanning out of your hide.”

“He’s really edging the Count on.” Anakin stared, deflecting a blaster bolt back at a droid.

“He’s being reckless.” Qui-Gon growled though without bite, in awe of what Obi-Wan had become even without his tutelage. This was the warrior Obi-Wan had become.

Qui-Gon had seen the man, had seen the negotiator, had even seen the knight. But now he had the full picture of the Jedi Master his student would have become had he only had the chance. And he was magnificent.

Mud splattering his high cheekbones, water lodged hair to his forehead with the blue glow of his blade giving his eyes an ethereal ever changing light as he moved fluidly between motion. Qui-Gon felt his heart jump a beat.

‘He’s gorgeous…’

Perhaps it was the taunts getting to him, perhaps rage or perhaps a wish for revenge, but Dooku did something Qui-Gon never thought his refined and honorable former master capable of. The man gave a yell of rage and kicked up mud at the Jedi, splattering it in his face and blinding Obi-Wan in the heat of the moment.

“Obi-Wan!” Qui-Gon was moving but found his path blocked by droids and tanks, cursing out loud as he was forced on the defensive with a desperate look towards the duel happening, his heart pounding in fear.

But Obi-Wan was not faltering.

Mud was splattered across his face, his eyes were closed.

And he was meeting each of Dooku’s attacks still, dodging thrusts and jumping sweeps, attacking in a careful motion of controlled actions. “Poor form Count, I thought mud slinging was below you. But perhaps the stench of being a sith is affecting your behavior.”

Anakin was laughing. Dooku was starting looking desperate and Obi-Wan…Obi-Wan was sinking himself more and more into the Force, using it to guide himself clearly through each action and motion.

“At least I won’t have to see your nose hairs like this Dooku, couldn’t you at least have trimmed them from last time?”

“Ah!” The sith pulled a large boulder from the ground with the Force and sent it flying towards Obi-Wan, forcing the Jedi to focus on it while he made his escape from the duel he had been locked in.

Qui-Gon broke free from the droids and used his superior gait to bring him to Obi-Wan’s side, the copper haired man panting harshly as he threw the boulder at a droid tank. “Qui-Gon?” He questioned as the other man came closer.

“Yes you damn fool, what were you thinking.” The older man pulled the other by the shoulder and behind him.

“That I wasn’t about to let Dooku injure any of my troops if I could help it. In my defense, he came looking for us in the forest, not the other way around.” Obi-Wan deflected a droid blast and shifted. “Also the battle isn’t done and we really shouldn’t stop to chat in the middle of a fight. That’s how you die.”

And then he was on the move again, cleaving a path of broken droid parts as he went.

“Oi! Dooku! Know how to get a second asscrack?! You cleave it into the back of a head. Lets test it on you!”

Qui-Gon choked on his own tongue. Obi-Wan was still mud blind!


	14. Travler

Its clearly not meant as a trap.

Its still inconvenient as Obi-Wan can taste Qui-Gon’s bitter panic in the air as the ray shield snaps up between them in the old temple.

“Its alright Qui-Gon, its just a barrier. Its not meant as…its just a barrier.” He assured with a small smile as the other Jedi and the clones stood on the other side of it.

“I…I know, just…” The older man shook his head before breathing out and focusing. “What’s on the other side?”

“An alter.” Obi-Wan looked around the ancient Jedi temple, frowning a bit as he took in the faded room with curiosity. “Its a room with an alter and…I think that’s a holocron Qui-Gon.” He blinked at that, feeling the Force gently push him as he stepped towards it.

“Obi-Wan, be careful.” Qui-Gon offered quickly, reaching out and touching the shimmering barrier that kept him from the other man.

“Its not going to hurt me Qui-Gon. Its been waiting on me.” Obi-Wan offered with certainty as he stepped through the dust covered room until he stood in front of the alter and the12-sided holocron. “Haven’t you?” He reached out and brushed against the holocron with the Force.

To Obi-Wan it seemed to hum before it slowly rose of the alter, opening itself like a neglected flower at Obi-Wan’s gentle prodding. A holo flickered to life, the face of a smiling Zabrak greeting him, the man sporting a unique pattern of four horns and multiple tattoos.

“Greeting Traveler, I have indeed been waiting.” A softer then silk voice greeted him. “You took your time to find me, did you not listen to the Force?”

“There’s war, I had little time to follow it until now.” Obi-Wan offered in return.

“That is regretful. A Jedi should always listen to the Force.” The Zabrak hummed before tilting his head. “I would ask your name Traveler, that is one of the things the Force did not impart me with and I could not impart to the holocron.”

“Obi-Wan Kenobi master Jedi. And yours?”

“My name has long since faded into obscurity and forgotten ages. I am the only remains of the Jedi who made it and I do not have memories of who it was.” The Zabrak chuckled. “I am only here to guide you Traveler.”

“Guide me?”

“You hail from another universe. Another galaxy. You are not the first but you are the first in a long age. So long that the memories of how and why have long since passed.” The holocron offered. “But the how and the why are no longer important. Only what is, what will be and the Force is important.”

Obi-Wan frowned a bit before sighing and nodding. “You are correct. I can’t go back. So to move forward is my only option.”

“Ah, good, you are not an idiot.” The holocron offered more dryly and Obi-Wan coughed to cover his laugh. “I was worried that you’d be one stuck in the past and not manage to move forward. I had to read quite a text from mindhealers before I made this holocron.”

“And why did you make this holocron?” Obi-Wan tucked his hands into his sleeves.

“To guide you. You can feel it can you not? You are no longer the same. The Force charges and changes around you, you can do feats of wonder you could not before. And the Force prods you to it.”

Obi-Wan looked down then nodded. “Yes.”

“There is always a Chosen one. One to bring balance. But the nature of balance is delicate. And to put it on one beings shoulders is a difficult task as their perception changes what balance truly is.” The Zabrak intoned and Obi-Wan frowned, his heart wrenching painfully as he thought of his padawan, his Anakin.

“You know what its like to fail. You know what its like to have that which you treasure dearest die or Fall. Your Master and your padawan.” Obi-Wan looked away. “And it is painful, for your galaxy’s Chosen one, regardless of Master or padawan, was the one to Fall. I will not pretend to understand or know what kind of scars that leaves behind in someones soul.”

“…Painful ones, that have yet to heal.” Obi-Wan offered quietly, quite aware of Qui-Gon and the troopers on the other side of that ray, able to hear everything.

“Yes. And so you have a new chance. For you are one of the Force favorites. You are the Traveler, the change. A guiding hand for the Chosen one to see clearly what they did not before. But you are also new, you are an anomaly in this galaxy and your powers…” The Zabrak trailed of and Obi-Wan focused sharply.

“Yes?”

“The Chosen one has the power to turn off a sun. To drain a planet. To make a planet flourish.” The copper haired master already knew this, Anakin’s very being could change the outcome of a battle if he willed it hard enough. “You Traveler, rival the Chosen one. You who know darkness and loss, pain and grief, love and joy. Your powers can reach out into the stars and align them to your wishes. Your whispers into the core of the planet to draw out the destruction inside them.”

Obi-Wan felt his blood freeze at those words.

“But you are humble Traveler, you know what power does to those who abuse it and use it for their own gain. You will do no such thing. All you wish to is to guide, to see growth and peace. You wish to see justice. You belong to the Force for all you wish is for the golden age as you look to the Force, shining ever so brightly in its light.” The Zabrak quieted down, watching Obi-Wan as the copper haired man trembled.

“…Why? I was…I was never that powerful before.”

“For the he who was you here died. His Force did not fade but waited for you. His strength is your strength, his love is your love and his hopes are your hopes. You Traveler, are the change the Force is urging. And I am your guide if you accept it. For I am like you. A traveler.” The Zabrak smiled at him.

Obi-Wan stared at the man.

“I was the change in my age. You are the change in this age, Obi-Wan Kenobi.”


	15. Clone care

‘His strength is your strength, his love is your love and his hopes are your hopes.’ Obi-Wan frowned down at his own hands, the holocron hanging harmlessly on his belt as water soaks the Jedi master from the rain of the planet.

Qui-Gon is…somewhere.

Obi-Wan assumes he’s informing the council what they have learned.

Obi-Wan however had needed space. He had looked at Qui-Gon and walked away, no conscious thought for where to go on an unfamiliar planet with unfamiliar life.

Yet he had found himself a spot by a tree with the rain pouring down around him and on him. The sound and feel is soothing despite the information that had been given to him.

Change.

This Obi-Wan’s Force.

Did that mean that Obi-Wan had basically consumed this universe Obi-Wan’s very Force being to bolster himself?

That felt…wrong. It felt wrong.

The rain stopped falling and Obi-Wan looked up in surprise, meeting the worried smile of Glas who held a tarp up over Obi-Wan’s head like an umbrella with Helix standing right behind him. “Ah, gentlemen. Was there something you two needed?”

“Nothing really but we came to check on you.” Helix moved around Glas and settled down beside Obi-Wan, taking his wrist and then checking on the Jedi’s eyes, amber eyes narrowed before he nodded in satisfaction and sitting back. “…Are you alright sir?”

“…Not really.” Obi-Wan confessed. “I’ve adjusted to much of being here but this…” He breathed out. “The idea of taking this universe Obi-Wan’s Force feels…like a violation. It feels wrong.”

“He could have been lying?” Helix glanced down at the holocron on Obi-Wan’s belt.

“Jedi holocorns do not lie.”

“Are you sure that’s what he meant though sir?” Glas asked after exchanging looks with Helix.

“What else could it mean?”

Glas gave an awkward shrug, highlighting the blue tattoo on his cheek. “Well…when we say that someones strength is our strength, we mean that we share our weaknesses and our strengths.” He tried.

Obi-Wan raised a finely sculpted brow at him and Glas hurried onward. “This Obi-Wan, from what we’ve learned sir, seems to be the kind who’d want to help you. Share his strength with you to help the order and all.” He beamed at him.

Obi-Wan blinked at that then smiled softly at Glas. “Thank you…that…helps.”


	16. How can you say that

Sometimes it burns him, if he’s allowed to think about it to long.

This world is so much happier and safer.

Because he died.

Obi-Wan sighed deeply to himself at that thought. It was an unfair thought but it was still correct, Qui-Gon had managed to be what Obi-Wan had not. Anakin’s confidant in front of Palpatine, someone who understood Anakin.

Qui-Gon had shown Anakin that he was capable of grieving and loving, had gone against the grain of the council and the Jedi’s at large and been something the other needed, a rock in the time of change. That was not to say that the older man had been perfect in raising Anakin, Obi-Wan could spot the temper in the younger man, there was still a level of arrogance in his actions.

But he was not the same man on the verge of gray that Obi-Wan had known in his universe. There was more light in this chosen one then in the one Obi-Wan had raised.

It made him wonder, had his insistence to train Anakin been all for the wrong reasons?

His Qui-Gon had asked for it though, had asked Obi-Wan to train him.

“Your thoughts sound dark.” He looked up in surprise and then smiled at the curly haired blond.

“Anakin, apologies, were my shields slipping?”

“No. But I’m always slightly aware of the intent behind the shields even when people are shielding.” Anakin moved to sit down on the crate next to him, glancing around the cargo room. “So…why are you hiding out down here. Qui-Gon missed you at dinner.”

“…Since you already know my thoughts weren’t of the lightest source…I was thinking about how my death here seemed to have been for the better.” Obi-Wan confessed and smiled when Anakin jerked too.

“What? How can you say that?” Anakin stared at him.

“I can say that because I came from a galaxy where the Jedi were no more because you, the version of you I raised, no longer trusted me.”

“You weren’t the only factor though. Palpatine sat like a spider in his web, pulling its strings and making war. If what we’ve found so far is correct then…well we’ll soon have enough to give over to trusted Senators who can deal with him and bring it in front of the Senate.”

Obi-Wan looked away.

“…Your death almost destroyed Qui-Gon.”

“One person alone is not the same as a gala-”

“Bullshit. He almost went dark. If Qui-Gon Jinn had gone dark, what do you think would have happened to me?” Anakin said sternly.

Obi-Wan blinked at that. “I…”

“He would have brought me along and trained me. I would have been dark from the get go instead of what I am now. I would have trusted him because I certainly didn’t trust the council after they scared me.” The blond reached out and wrapped an arm around him. “Life was certainly not better because you died. Your arrival here has changed things and you know it. You are here and giving us information. Who’s not to say that eventually Palpatine wouldn’t have managed to turn me if you hadn’t appeared. He may have used longer time then he did in your universe but he’s obviously been patient.”

Obi-Wan looked away.

“You’re different though.”  
“I’m still fundamentally the same person. Just with different information and with slightly changed circumstances…and…and now I have you too.” Anakin tugged on the others sleeve. “…I got you don’t I?”

The copper haired master laughed quietly at that and looked to the blond, nodding. “Of course you do. There will never be a time when I don’t care about you Anakin Skywalker, you are my friend.” Anakin perked up at that and wrapped the other in a tight hug which Obi-Wan returned.

There was silence for a few moments as the two enjoyed each other company and comfort.

“…You know Qui-Gon wants to bed you right?”

“What!?”


	17. Fool Jedi

“The General’s on the tv and he’s doing karking stupid things again!” The cry echoes through the barracks.

There’s only one General that makes Helix cry out like that and only one that gets the whole 212 to turn to the tv and get to the news channel with the 501 in attendance.

And there he is, General Obi-Wan Kenobi, doing stupid karking shit without them!

“Its amazing, look at General Kenobi go, the locals report he’s been defending them from the Separatist strike teams on his own for closing in on twenty four hours after the communication centers went down. We’re relaying this to the Jedi temple and Coruscant in hope of support being sent swiftly for the Gener-oh no!”

General Kenobi was blown of his feet by a blast that kicked up the ground and smoke. Every trooper was on his feet as the camera scanned frantically for the General.

“There.” Longshot pointed at the corner where they could see the faint outline of the General as he limped over to a crate and kicked it open, the camera seemed to find focus too as the General reached into the crate and pulled out an armful of grenades.

“What is he goi-” Rex lost his voice when Obi-Wan started to float the grenades in front of him, a wild grin on the General’s face. “You know what, General Skywalker is crazy but I’ve never seen him do that.” He squeaked as all the grenades made a beeline for the strike teams vehicles.

“Shut up and lets get to the hanger.” Cody growled as blood was starting to run down in fine line from Obi-Wan’s hairline.

()()()()

“I assure you all this is quite unnecessary.” Obi-Wan complained, stretched out in the medical bay of the Maverick on two mattresses on the floor. He had a feeling if his stomach wasn’t so sore, someone would be using it as a pillow but as it was, Boil and Waxer was honestly laying on a leg each, watching him while he had his head in Cody’s lap.

“All due respect General, shut it.” Cody growled.

“What the Commander means to say is you gave us heart attacks and you will take you cuddles and your medical treatment.” Helix offered as he came over and sat down beside Obi-Wan, taking his arm and giving him a hypospray.

“Yes Obi-Wan, take your cuddles.” Qui-Gon offered in amusement from the doorway. Obi-Wan glanced everywhere but at the man, huffing a bit as he settled against the commanders lap.

“I had no idea there would be a strike team on site! I was just there to deliver information actually.”

Cody shook his head. Damn fool Jedi’s.


	18. Credit for your thought

It was kind of awkward to look at Qui-Gon since Anakin’s revelation. A weird sort of squirming sensation in the pit of his stomach.

‘Bed me…just bed me or…Force am I really considering this?’ Obi-Wan ran his hand through his hair, mussing the styled locks slowly. He was suddenly micro analyzing every touch and word for hidden meanings, had this been going on for a while, had Obi-Wan just been ignoring the obvious or had Qui-Gon been that discreet?

No…Obi-Wan may have not noticed but he wasn’t totally blind.

So discreet and a bit obliviousness.

He ran his fingers around his mouth and over his chin, frowning ever so slightly. Yes that would fit the bill.

“A credit for your thought?” A familiar and terrifying voice at that moment offered.

Obi-Wan looked up, flustering a bit as he accepted the tea from the older Jedi. “I was just thinking about something Anakin said, that’s all.” Qui-Gon quirked an eyebrow then sat down beside him, sipping his own tea. “Indeed.”

The long haired master didn’t dig into him, instead he quietly sat beside him and Obi-Wan felt himself slowly relax.

He looked down into the cup and smiled a bit. “…He said you wanted to bed me.” He offered softly then chuckled when Qui-Gon promptly choked on his own tea.

“That boy!” Qui-Gon pounded his chest then cleared his throat, sighing. “I…won’t deny that. I mean…I want more though. But I’ll be happy if you don’t and instead want to remain friends.” He smiled at Obi-Wan. “I will do nothing to make you uncomfortable Obi-Wan.”

Obi-Wan mused over that. “I won’t say I haven’t been thinking about it since Anakin told me…but more you say?”

“I…enjoy your company Obi-Wan. I like how I feel when I’m around you.” Qui-Gon offered softly. “I’d like to see if we could have…more. But I will not make you uncomfortable, if its not agreeable to you.”

Obi-Wan frowned a bit into his cup then looked at Qui-Gon again, meeting those deep blue eyes. “Could I have some time to think about it? I…don’t think this is the kind of situation one wants to rush.”

“As long as you need and if you decide that this is not for you, then that is fine Obi-Wan. I treasure our friendship more then I treasure a cheap fling or making you uncomfortable.” Qui-Gon murmured warmly.

Obi-Wan gave the other a wider smile at that and nodded, taking a slow sip of his tea.

“…But how would you feel about helping me get some revenge on Anakin for spilling my secrets for me?” Qui-Gon raised his eyebrows and the copper haired man let out a loud and happy laugh. “Count me in, I’d like to return the shock he gave me back on him.”


	19. I can walk!

“…Is he asleep?” Cody stared down at the two shinies with the Jedi between them.

Glas beamed up at him and nodded. “We got him to sit down and drink some tea. Then we convinced him to eat some rations. And then Rips convinced him to lay his head down for a bit. He dropped of pretty neatly after that.”

Rips held up his thumbs. “Glas got a blanket for him since I’m stuck. His hair REALLY soft.” Rips offered happily while petting the copper hair.

Between them Obi-Wan just mumbled and snuggled more into the troopers lap, resting peacefully for once.

“Well…that explains why he’s not answering his comms.” Cody hesitated then settled down too, watching him. “…Nice to see he’s doing better.”

“We couldn’t agree more with you Commander.” Glas continued beaming.

()()()

“I can WALK.”

“I don’t care. Piggyback.”

Obi-Wan sulked as Anakin carried him along piggyback, his aching leg supported by the mass of bandages the other had him wrapped it up in. The man stepped of the shuttle and nodded to everyone as he quite contently headed through the temple.

“…This is so humiliating.” Obi-Wan sighed quietly.

“I know. Lets get you to Che.” Anakin said cheerfully.

Qui-Gon followed peacefully behind them, smiling faintly. “I think this is your own fault Obi-Wan. I think we might have to temple restrict you.”

“Bah humbug!” Obi-Wan pouted. “Its not my fault I-”

“Went ass over kettle and shattered your femur?” Anakin offered.

“Not diplomatic said but yes. It was Rips fault, for tripping me.”

“I think Rips would argue you were showing of and that it was your own fault.” The blond argued.

“I must agree Obi-Wan, your own fault.”

Obi-Wan sighed quietly and glanced around. Well if he was going to get temple locked he might as well do some research into certain…sithly people. “Well, I think you should take me on a date then if I’m going to be stuck temple.” He looked backwards at Qui-Gon and smirked when the other tripped.

“I…if you’re amendable, yes.” Qui-Gon quickly gained his balance again, smiling at Obi-Wan.

The copper haired Jedi quickly turned his face back to hide in Anakin’s shoulder, a small shy smile on his lips. “Yes.”


	20. You make me feel special

‘Traveler.’

Obi-Wan can’t even tell what that means for him. But he’s managed to move past the idea that he’s somehow a master that’s consumed Obi-Wan of this universe and Qui-Gon certainly does not look at him as if he’s one.

No one is quite sure what to make of the holocron he’s picked up though.

He even showed the council to see what their take on it is but the Jedi in the holocron had only shaken his head and told them that when the time came, he would be of help to Obi-Wan and only Obi-Wan.

How Obi-Wan wasn’t even sure!

He really didn’t understand much. He was suppose to guide the Chosen one?

How?

He had already shown Anakin the snake in hiding, Palpatine having been confirmed by the order as a Sith.

Just how was Obi-Wan suppose t-

“Obi-Wan?” There was a soft rumble and then Qui-Gon knelt down beside him, wrapping him in his robe. “You’re freezing, how you been here the entire time?” The other questioned, looking around the gardens, the half frozen pond an indication how cold it was.

“I needed to think. Its all so much.” Obi-Wan sighed.

“So you went to the arctic garden?” Qui-Gon frowned, rubbing the others arms and pulling him closer.

“The…oh that explains why its so cold.” Obi-Wan sighed and looked around the plants. “Forgot we had one of these areas.”

Qui-Gon just snorted and continued to try and warm the other up. “Why did you come here?”

“…The holocron. I just don’t understand it. I just…” He sighed and rested his head on Qui-Gon’s shoulder after a few moments, staring at the pond. “I understand that I’m from a different place, that is obvious, I understand that there has been…changes to me and the way I use the Force and I understand that I somehow gained strength from the Obi-Wan of this world.” He snuggled closer to Qui-Gon. “But how can I guide the Chosen one? I already given Anakin what I could.”

Qui-Gon shrugged. “There are different sorts of guiding. Perhaps it will become clear with time.”

“Hopefully before things goes to pieces.” Obi-Wan snorted.

Qui-Gon hummed a bit and pressed a soft kiss to the chilled bearded cheek. “Come on, lets go have some tea together. I have a new ruma blend that Depa gave me.”

“Oh?”

“Supposed to be spicy.” Qui-Gon got up and offered his hands, smiling when slightly smaller callused ones slid into his and carefully pulled the younger man up. “Might do you some good.”

The other snorted before smiling softly up at Qui-Gon. “You know, when Anakin told me you…wanted me, I wasn’t sure what to think about it. Wasn’t sure what I wanted but…” He lifted the others hands to his face and pressed a soft kiss to each knuckle. “I’m glad I took a chance. You make me feel…”

“Yes?” Qui-Gon stepped closer to him, holding onto the others hands as tight as he could. “I make you feel what dear one?” He questioned quietly as Obi-Wan peeked up at him through his fringe, eyes sparkling with suppressed emotions.

“You make me feel special.”

Staring at the younger man in front of him Qui-Gon gave a little laugh of disbelief. “You ARE special.”

“I don’t mean dime-”

“And neither do I.” Qui-Gon let go of the others hands and reached up and cupped the others face in his hands, caressing skin and beard with his fingers. “You are so magnificent Obi-Wan and you have no idea just how much my heart soars to see you.”

His voice was a low whisper as he leaned down and forward, resting his forehead against the others.

“To hear your voice warms me to my toes, to see your smile steals my breath and to hold you in my arms makes me calm. Because you in my arms means safety.” He rumbled. “You are special because being around you makes the world so much brighter.”

“…Didn’t know you were so much for sappy speeches.” Obi-Wan whispered, sounding choked.

“I’m not, you bring it out in me.”

Obi-Wan stared at him, leaning into the hands as he slid his arms around Qui-Gon’s waist. “…Can I stay the night at your place? Just…just for sleep?” He whispered.

“I’d love it if you stayed.” Qui-Gon let the other pull him closer, just marveling at the closeness and warmth he could feel pouring from Obi-Wan. And the tender compassion and love that slipped out past his shields.

This, this he could get used to.

Just the two of them standing close, holding each other.


	21. You look happy

He wakes up with his hand sprawled against a taunt stomach, his fingers spread as he opens his eyes to see the beige cloth of Qui-Gon’s sleep shirt, hearing Qui-Gon’s steady breaths. ‘I’m pretty sure when we fell asleep, I was curled up against his chest.’ Obi-Wan thought in amusement, wondering how they had ended up spooning during the night as he shifted up on his elbow to look down at Qui-Gon.

The other looked relaxed, breathing steadily through his mouth and happily not snoring.

Qui-Gon snores through the broken nose of his sometimes even on his side and Obi-Wan wonders if he had that corrected since he had only heard him snore when sleeping on his back. Shifting a bit, he leaned forward and kissed his cheek softly while brushing his silvered hair back before shifting out of the bed.

It was strange how life turned out.

He had resigned himself to a lifetime of loneliness on Tatooine only to be dragged through a portal and into a life where Qui-Gon was alive, the temple was still standing and the order was still a thing. Anakin was unfallen.

A chance to a life.

Obi-Wan was desperately clutching at it with both hands.

He didn’t think he could handle losing everything a second time even if it was different from how his life had once been. Though he hoped that his galaxy was okay.

Slowly starting to make breakfast for himself and Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan mused on his galaxy, he wondered, had he been fully pulled through or had whatever Dooku done made a copy of him and pulled the copy into the galaxy?

Or had it pulled him, the actual him through.

He had actual time to think about it for a few moments before the doorbell rang and Obi-Wan blinked, moving to it and opening it. “Oh, Anakin, come in.”

The blond smiled and stepped in. “Something told me you’d be here.” He joked lightly, eyeing Obi-Wan and the older man flushed a bit, clearing his throat.

“We didn’t…I just…we slept.”

“Not going to say anything.” Anakin laughed, following Obi-Wan to the kitchen.

“You’re ass.” Obi-Wan chuckled quietly as he set on caff for the other. “Do you want breakfast?”

“Please, your cooking is good.”

“…Considering you’re willing to eat bugs, I’m not sure if that’s a compliment.” Obi-Wan chuckled quietly.

“Oi, eating bugs are normal on Tatooine. You liked the spider stir fry I made.” Anakin pouted at him.

“Yes well that was prepared. I meant the times you ate live bugs.” Obi-Wan countered dryly, adding another portions to his scrambled egg making and the bacon. Anakin snorted a bit and got his caff himself before sitting down, watching the other.

When he noticed, Obi-Wan raised his brows, curious. “What?”

“Nothing really, you just look happy.” The blond grinned. “You and Qui-Gon both look happy now a days. Its a nice change.”

Obi-Wan snorted before relaxing. “I guess, its…different. This is all so different. Safe. I have the time to feel happy. And you and Qui-Gon make me feel safe. Not to mention the troopers.” He confessed quietly.

There was a short silence and then the chair scraped against the floor before Anakin was there, wrapping his arms around Obi-Wan’s smaller frame. ‘Really, how do I keep picking the tall ones?’ Obi-Wan thought in some amusement even as he leaned into the hug. ‘I’m not a small man. I’m averaged.’

“You are safe here. And we wouldn’t let anything happen to you.” Anakin swore.

“That’s a terrible thing to promise in war times, especially to a Jedi who is on the front lines.” Obi-Wan chuckled against the others chest quietly, settled against Anakin’s chest even as the other quickly stirred the scrambled egg so they wouldn’t burn.

“Well, I still am.” Anakin huffed. “You’re a friend and a damn good one.”

Obi-Wan blinked then smiled a bit, settled against the blond. “…I get the feeling you got a favor to ask when you’re praising me like that.” He teased.

“Yes. Can I have more caff?”

The two shared a low laugh together.

“Fine fine, but drink up the rest of what you have in your cup first.” Obi-Wan chuckled quietly, moving from Anakin’s grasp to remake a second cup, relaxed and smiling.


	22. In the end

In the end, its not Obi-Wan and not even the Jedi who reveal to everyone that Palpatine is a double dealing traitor of the people.

In the end the Order is not the ones who pay the price and has their ranks shattered, in the end the clone army are just as lost as the Order as Obi-Wan wakes up in Qui-Gon’s arms, still wearing their tunics and leggings to fires on Coruscant.

Because the public is in outrage as Yan Dooku himself has revealed that Palpatine sat as the overhead of both the Republic and the Separatists but that Yan is finished taking orders from the old wrinkled prune and that now he leads the CIS.

The old man has been leading both sides, something Obi-Wan and the Jedi Order already knew as they tried to find evidence and dismantle it all.

Now they don’t need to.

The Senate is in uproar and there are rebellions all across the Galaxy in Republican worlds.

Jedi and their troopers are trying to quell the fires as everyone waits with their breaths held in suspense to what comes next.

What comes next is as terrible as it is defining.

Palpatine called to trial with Jedi having been called by various Senators to stand in their pods because there is a feeling of blood in the air.

What comes next is lightning across Senatorial pods as Palpatine lets out a horrible screech as he understands just how far Dooku’s betrayal has left him in the patient plans he has been knitting together for years as Jedi try to apprehend him.

What comes is death of so many good men and women across the galaxy as Senators with weaker hearts die from the charge the electricity surges through them.

And Jedi fighting to apprehend the now revealed Sith and bring him to justice on camera and forever memorized.

In the end Obi-Wan is not even there to see it.

He has found no evidence to bring Palpatine down, not really, only circumstantial evidence.

In the end he’s one of trillions watching the viewscreen as Anakin Skywalker doesn’t hesitate to decapitates Palpatine in what is clearly a lucky shot after Qui-Gon gets thrown off a Senatorial pod.

Obi-Wan doesn’t fear though, even though his heart is in his throat when Qui-Gon falls.

He doesn’t feel the other pass into the Force as so many others have.

And when they return to the temple as the Senate still shout at each other and have an emergency voting which calls Mon Mothma as the new Chancellor, Obi-Wan can only pull Qui-Gon into his arms and hold tightly onto the older man as Qui-Gon returns the embrace gingerly, bruised as he is.

There are still fires to put out.

There is still a war to finish.

There is a Senate in uproar still.

But for the first time in what feels far to long, Obi-Wan feels hope for himself even as Anakin is lauded among his fellow Jedi and raised to Jedi Master at the young age of twenty three.

There is a long road still left.

But they can do it.


End file.
